PPACA - Your Health Benefits

I was inspired to write today’s blog post after receiving an email from my health insurance company this morning. More on that email in a bit.

I have very basic health insurance through a company that is affiliated with my university – because of the PPACA  (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act)– they have to provide for (no charge to me) screenings that are recommended for my age and gender – mammograms and pap smears and if I wanted it, birth control.   This was not true before the law. (BTW – all companies have to pay for screening mammograms, not diagnostic ones, so beware)

There are many parts of the new law that benefit people and I am concerned that the law could be appealed.  I believe that some of the problem is the stigma associated with this law because it is attributed to a democratic president.  In other words, it has a party affiliation – the kiss of death.

I sincerely, and most fervently wish that we would stop dismissing things out of hand because whatever it is (policy, law or issue) is accompanied by a party label-

These labels are doing us no good at all and I, for one, would like to see an end to them.

I am registered to vote in my state – of course, but I am registered as unaffiliated and I AM – unaffiliated.  I do not have a loyalty.

I choose sides and evaluate issues or programs based on their substance, not on what president or congressperson is associated with them

I have great fear that many people discount things out of hand based on a misguided affiliation with or aversion to, a certain party (and much of the time people do not even know why they are a republican or democrat, much less what that party might have, at one time, stood for in general principal)

The very basic dichotomy is that democrats want more government and republicans less –

However, in reality, it seems to depend on the type of government or government program one is referring to –

Regardless, that is not the point I meant for today.  

I just want to encourage people to know what they are aligning themselves with or against before being so adamantly for or against something –

The PPACA does good things for a great many people (and some not good things) – but if the whole thing is appealed – a helluva lot of folks are going to miss the benefits they do not even know they are receiving.

If you clink on this link you will see some of the services that are provided to persons age 65 and older who have Medicare.  You can also search for preventative care for women or men, special services for children etc.

The email I got today was a notice that my plan would only cover elective abortions if I opted in for this coverage.  Interesting.  If I had more time I would look into that – I think it has something to do with an abortion law that passed in my state senate this year.  I am not a candidate for pregnancy, planned or other wise, so the issue doesn’t matter to me personally.  I won’t opt in for that coverage.  I can see where some women might.

Here is what the email actually says:

Effective January 1, 2012, if elected, your coverage under the System-Wide Student Health Insurance Plan will not include an Elective Abortion benefit unless you "opt-in" to include this benefit. This benefit option, if selected, applies to the 2012 Spring/Summer Semester. The inclusion of this benefit in the Plan does not change the premium amount.

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I think it unfortunate that I felt inspired to write this blog when the President was about to do his state of the union address because most people will be pissed off when they read this – but remember, the law –PPACA- is (or can be) a good one.  If you are going to complain about it – complain because you do not like what is in it, not because you don’t like who voted for it.